


"Whose dog is that?"

by Merlinda_Dragon



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 07:19:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9480854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlinda_Dragon/pseuds/Merlinda_Dragon
Summary: Myranda and Alistair's son finds a mabari puppy.





	

Myranda wiped her hands on a dish towel, checking the recipe on the stained parchment again.  She had to remember to thank Teagan’s cook the next time they went to Redcliffe castle; the woman may have single-handedly saved her marriage.  She knew she should have paid more attention to Nan when she was stuck in the kitchen with her nurse, but… it hadn’t seemed important at the time.  She lifted the lid on the pot on the hearth, breathing the delectable odor  with a smile.

“Myranda,” Alistair called. 

“Supper’s almost ready,” she called back.  She turned, her smile fading at the worried look on his face.  “What?  What is it?  What’s the matter?”

“You better come here.  Quick.”

“Devlin?”  She ran out the door after him, grabbing the sheathed dagger she kept by the door.  She skidded to a stop as she saw the dark-skinned, dark-haired elf boy helping a limping mabari puppy that was almost as tall as he was out of the forest.  “Whose dog is that?”

“Ours, I think,” Alistair said.

“Mamma!  Mamma!”  Devlin ran to Myranda, hopping up and down excitedly.  “Can’t we keep him?  _Please_?”

Myranda tied the dagger to her belt as she stepped slowly over to the puppy, which looked back at her with deep, sorrowful eyes, whimpering as she held up her front right paw.  Her fur was matted in several places with blood and she was covered in scratches.  “Where did she come from?” she asked, kneeling in front of the frightened pup.

“I don’t know,” Alistair admitted.  “She just wandered out of the woods over there.”

“She was hiding in a rose bush,” Devlin clarified.

The puppy looked around Myranda, yipping at Devlin and limping toward him.

Myranda recognized the behavior immediately.  “Devlin,” she called.  “Come here.  Stay close to her… she needs to be able to see you.”

The elf boy ran over, slowing down when his mother held up her hand.

“Slowly,” she chastised gently.  “Don’t scare her.”

“Does that mean we can keep him?” Devlin asked, petting the dog.

“Her,” Myranda corrected, slowly reaching out to take the puppy’s paw.  “She’s a little girl.  Easy, now,” she murmured to the dog.

“Is she going to be alright?” Alistair asked.

“Can we keep her, Mamma?” Devlin asked again.  “ _Please_?  I’ll feed her and take care of her and everything!”

“I think we’re going to have to.”

“Has she imprinted?” Alistair asked.

“Looks that way.”  She reached up to scratch the puppy behind her ear.  “That’s a good girl.  I don’t think the paw is broken,” she said.  “But it feels badly sprained.  Let’s get her inside.”

“We’re gonna keep her?” Devlin asked excitedly as his adopted father knelt to pick up the puppy.

“We have to, sweetheart,” she said, taking his hand as they followed Alistair back toward the house.  “She’s a mabari, and mabari are very special dogs.  When they find someone they really love and respect, they bond with that person.  It’s called ‘imprinting.’  And once they imprint, they stay with that person their whole lives.”

“And she’s imprinted on me?”

“I think so.”  She laughed a little as the little boy jumped up and down excitedly with a cheer.  “Come on, now.  Supper’s almost ready, and I’m sure your new puppy is hungry too.”

“She’ll need a name,” Alistair told him.

Devlin ran forward to open the door to the house, his face scrunched up with thought.  “How about Rosie?”

“And why Rosie?” Myranda asked.

“Because I found her in a rose bush.  And I really like her.  And Papa really likes you and he calls you Rose.”

Myranda blinked in surprise, fighting the smile that threatened to cross her lips as she looked down at her husband, who was grinning up at her as he placed the puppy gently in front of the fireplace.  “Rosie it is, then.”


End file.
